WRITER: BASHEER, LUQMAN
OLAREWAJU
TOPIC: THE WOMEN OF
NIGERIA; PROBLEMS, PANACEA, AND PROSPECTS. (WOMEN AND POLITICS)
INTRODUCTION
Human race is a special creation of the creator, the unarguably most challenging creatures and most unique in all ramifications. Human nation is basically of male and female gender and therein the female ones are rare gem, which most can even qualify them as the ‘spice of the world’. “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” – Margaret Thatcher. Women are described to be creative and conscious of their actions, the physiology of feminine gender is unique as a creation and makes them very swift and most are introverts in nature. These attributes enable them to be exceptional and partake in the administrative, academic, religious, and political functions. One of the most laudable developments in African politics has been the increase in women’s political participation since the mid 1990s. Women are becoming more engaged in a variety of institutions from local government, to legislatures, and even the executive. Today, Africa is a leader in women’s parliamentary representation globally. African countries have some of the world’s highest rates of representation: Rwanda claimed the world’s highest ratio of women in parliament in 2003 and today Rwandan women hold 64% of the country’s legislative seats. In Senegal, Seychelles and South Africa, more than 40% of parliamentary seats are held by women, while in Mozambique, Angola, Tanzania and Uganda over 35% of seats are occupied by women. Women are taking over key ministerial positions in defense, finance and foreign affairs, which is a break from the past when women primarily held ministerial positions in the so-called ‘softer’ ministries of education, community development, sports and youth. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, a South African politician who served as Minister of Defense. While Kemi Adeosun serves as Nigeria’s finance minister.
NIGERIAN WOMEN: POLITICAL CHALLENGES
Nigeria is undoubtedly a country with diverse culture, traditions, and intellects has her trend of consciously or unconsciously limiting the female gender in her quest academically and administratively, which are important functions to women’s participation in the societal politics. Women are nurtured at home from the earlier stage as individual that they should be subordinate to opposite sex; the exposure of most of them is limited in term of political inclination, hardly in random one can see a young female in ten houses that is keenly interested in local politics, let alone national politics. I cannot but to say that the academic institution of the country is causing a backlash to the development of women as to become proactive leader in future, over time, I asked myself question that ‘why from primary class to higher classes of academic institutions the established procedure is for the coordinator to be male and female should assistant?’
The way we exercise our political system is so devastating that insignificant positions are reserved for women, the sense of “you cannot be in the same league” is causing retrogression to women development, besides, the notion that women are naïve and cannot be as competent and agile in leadership positions is another cancerous matter not only from the views of men but also the status quo. As the president of the quiz and debate for my faculty- Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, I organized a debate with the members on ‘role of women and political positions’, It was astounding, 65% of the females members were moving against women as leaders coming from different angles like religion, economy and social worth.
Finance is a major challenge for women in politics; political campaigns are costly and require solid financial backing for success. The pathetic discrimination against women has become a fruitless tree with lot of decorated flowers having its root deeply seated in our societal belief about relegating women and celebrating the male as special being, who are respected and regarded stronger and so fit for public space while women are merely weak, feeble minded and so reserved for frivolous use at any point in time. Evidences from the works of scholars around the world are replete with a common theme of domination of women by men in the socio-political and economic scheme of things. Agbalajobi (2003) and (2010) argued that the increasing domination of women by men have several theoretical underpinning. On the other hand, women are less represented in politics due to persistent cultural stereotype, abuse of religious and traditional practices. He contended that the discrimination against women in terms of participations and representations is universal and has long historical standing dating back to the ages. According to him, gender discrimination and sexism plays itself out in the most advanced democratic countries of the world.
Religiosity, and in particular Islam, has been seen by comparative scholars as constraints on women’s political representation. However, many of the countries that have adopted allotment in Africa have significant Muslim populations, including Tanzania, Senegal, Eritrea, Sudan, and Niger. The trend has now continued at countries in the Maghreb, including Libya, Algeria, and Morocco. Muslim-majority countries have been motivated to adopt quotas for a variety of reasons: as a result of pressures from women’s movements and from female elites; in an effort to comply with changing international norms and donor pressures; and in an attempt to win women’s votes. One can no longer say that Muslim countries in general have proportionately lower rates of female representation. 34-year old IIhan Omar’s historic rise to become the first female Somali-American legislator in USA is now a beacon of hope for Muslims and particularly Muslim women across the globe.
Northern part of the country, which has been particularly slow in advancing women’s rights and political leadership, is beginning to see in the explosion in her participation. This is not to say that there are not serious constraints on women predominantly in those areas, but it is important to note that when it comes to one of the key indicators of gender equality — that of women’s legislative representation — the patterns are rapidly changing.
NIGERIAN WOMEN:
SOLUTION TO POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION
There should be a focused and regular awareness for women to be involved in local and national politics, women that are currently holding position should be leading by example for the younger minds.
Women’s movements and organizations should be improved and their leaders must retract being captured by political parties and government bodies.
Democratization should be followed by an expansion of women’s rights, as political changes opened up political space that gave women new possibilities for mobilizing to demand political rights.
Nigerian women’s movements should continue to actively define their own agenda, influence the combination of the rights-based and development-based approaches to women’s advancement.
Academic institutions should accommodate women politics in their curriculum in order to groom the potential leaders among Nigerian women.
Nigerian women should contribute to transnational women’s rights activity especially in the areas of violence against women, opposing female genital mutilation, women and conflict, the girl child, financing women’s entrepreneurship which was influenced by pioneers like Esther Ocloo in Ghana, and encouraging discussions about women and political decision making and the adoption of quota.
NIGERIAN
WOMEN: PROSPECT IN POLITICS
Women in Nigeria have for long been playing important role in the status quo, and it has contributed in no small measure in shaping the political system of the country, Oluwafunmilayo Ransome - Kuti's political activism led to her being described as the doyen of female rights in Nigeria and was regarded as “The Mother of Africa.”
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala - Former Finance Minister and Foreign Minister of Nigeria, notable for being the first woman to hold either of those positions.
I have a dream that if all the concerned leaders will adopt the provided solutions above, our country will have women as leaders occupying equal seats with long lasting impacts.
This country will succeed in little or no seriousness of her women to politics by swiftly coining from the aforementioned solutions.
The world at large is encouraging ‘women in politics’ this is an awakening piece to all and sundry in Nigeria to see beyond the box.
CONCLUSION
